Elaine Beals

SOLF was saddened to learn of the death of Elaine Beals on August 21, 2016. Elaine was among the founding members of the Southborough Open Land Foundation. She served on the Board of Trustees of SOLF, including holding the position of treasurer for many years. She was dedicated to the preservation of the environment and open space, reinforcing her conservation ethic as a member of the Town of Southborough’s Open Space Preservation Commission. In the 1950s and 60s, Elaine and her husband Philip purchased 190 acres of land abutting their farm to protect it from development. All of that land is now under permanent conservation restrictions. Fifty-six acres of it was gifted to SOLF in 2009, property that is now known as the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve. In her honor, SOLF presents the Elaine Beals Conservation Award each year to a local resident who has shown outstanding leadership in environmental conservation. You may read the obituary here.

A memorial service for Elaine will be held on October 22, 2016, 11:30AM, at the Pilgrim Congregational Church, Southborough, MA.

SOLF Receives Southborough Community Fund Grant

SOLF is excited to announce that we are the recipients of a grant from the Southborough Community Fund, a fund of the Foundation for Metrowest. The grant will enable SOLF to present a workshop to inform landowners of the financial and environment advantages of placing a conservation restriction on their property and/or donating the property to a land trust. The funds will also enable SOLF to present several nature related programs open to the public. Please visit the Southborough Community Fund (SCF), Foundation for Metrowest website to see the good work it is doing in town. Programs funded by this grant will be listed on our Upcoming Events page.

SOLF extends a special thank you to Jack Downs of Elder, Gaffey & Paine, PC, Marlborough, MA, for his pro bono tax preparation services, Tim Ellis for his assistance in web site design, and Dick Chase for web site hosting services.